Letter of the week: Niall Robertson, Balmoral
The road lobby and a young businesswoman, Lani Fogelberg (Weekend Herald, May 28) don't seem to follow the news. The road lobby is asking for more roads and Fogelberg is upset that people criticise her for owning a Ferrari.
For 10.000 years the planet's atmospheric carbon level has been stable at 280ppm and man has prospered, but since the mid-1800s, carbon has been increasing exponentially and is now over 420ppm. This latest level may not have happened for over 14 million years. This has already caused species extinction, millions of deaths and millions of people being displaced. It is driven, primarily by wealthier countries' love affair with fossil fuels, our penchant for cutting down trees and intensive farming of ruminant animals.
If we don't change our behaviour we will be faced with a colossal calamity. This is all easily researched through reputable science agencies.
Politicians give us what we want and, if that is cheaper petrol then that is what we get. I want us all to tell the politicians that we want to change.
Norwegian would
Simon Wilson (Canvas, May 28) makes a number of comparisons between New Zealand and Norway.
Norway is more mountainous, only the South Island is comparable. It is also on the doorstep of Europe and is closer to North America than New Zealand is to China, meaning far better access to export markets.
Norway is dominated by a large oil and gas industry which not only contributes nearly 60 per cent of the country's exports and more than 40 per cent of state revenues, but it has created a sovereign wealth fund worth at least three times the country's entire GDP.
Norway's current centre-left Government, elected in late 2021, has pledged to further expand the sector.
While it's useful to look at how Norway has incentivised the uptake of EVs, it's also important to be upfront about the fundamental differences that have helped their government make such policy decisions. Only by doing so can we better understand the political calculations and fiscal limitations our own Government faces as it makes the decisions we need in order to get New Zealand to net carbon zero.
Gwynn Compton, Paraparaumu Beach.
Covid factor
I always find Emma Mackintosh's correspondence to be most thoughtful and keenly observed, as with her latest letter regarding Covid (Weekend Herald 28 May) - highlighting the distinction between "deaths with Covid" and "deaths from Covid", where other accompanying ailments may have been the actual cause of death.
However, what should also be considered is - would those people have died if they hadn't contracted Covid? And to what extent did having Covid exacerbate the conditions they were already suffering from – respiratory or other lung infections, or heart, for instance, thus making them fatal?
Clyde Scott, Birkenhead.
Port vision
Regarding your editorial (Weekend Herald, May 28) on Manukau Port, I take back all I ever said about you, albeit well out of your earshot. Andrea Fox's comment earlier in the week was very pertinent too.
As your editorial says, any attempt to set up a new port at Manukau would indeed be intrepid and both Brooke Hibberdine, who I do know, and I will unlikely to still be here to see its eventuation. But if it does and proves to be a huge waste of money perhaps you might like to mention us old mariners who did say "we told you so".
Just one other moot point: The very likely protracted consenting process will be a mountain to climb, indeed.
Ian Francis Burke, Kaitaia.
Shifting sands
Your editorial regarding Auckland's port was thought-provoking. Saving whatever we can with ongoing transportation costs would indeed be a wise move, for which future generations would be grateful.
Could the study extend to investigating the possibility of long breakwaters on either side of the harbour entrance, all the way out to a depth where sand buildup would not be a concern, or simply would not happen at that depth? It would depend on how far out the bedrock is relatively shallow.
I imagine initial dredging between the breakwaters would be all that would be required, as future sand movements, it seems to me, would build on the open sides of the breakwaters, leading to possible reclamations there in the future.
This idea may have been already been raised and discarded. I won't sully the concept with the idea of diverting a little Waikato River water to help with the clearance of sand and slush in the harbour.
Tony Molloy, Morrinsville.
Shipping news
Good luck wasting more money on Manukau Harbour as an option for Auckland's port woes. The Upper North Island Supply Chain team rejected it.
Big maritime insurers won't cover ships there. It is the wrong side of New Zealand for trade, which uses the cargo flows between Asia and South America.
Skippers warn they need to increase speed to 14 knots when entering on a rising tide with a following sea to maintain steerage.
There's no obvious port site and it does nothing to reduce congestion around Southdown/Wiri.
Dredging to the depth of a five-storey building in shifting sands is dumb and ridiculously expensive. The first thing they will find is the last three ships that sank there.
The claim that modern ships are more manoeuvrable ignores the fact that one of these recently blocked the Suez Canal which has no waves and no tidal current.
If the Government must throw money away, how about a port strategy so we are no longer the only maritime nation without one?
Wayne Brown, Mangonui.
Off the wall
Steven Joyce's opinion piece (Weekend Herald, June 28) is an astute summation of the economic woes facing this country.
The architects of this mess, which could at best be described as a "Humpty Dumpty economy", include Grant Robertson, Treasury and the Reserve Bank - akin to "all the Kings men" at odds as to how to put "Humpty" together again.
Best we all buckle up for a very rocky road ahead.
Bruce Eliott, St Heliers.
A quick word
The Government exclusively chose supermarkets to keep us supplied during Covid-19 restrictions but is now identifying a lack of competition as the main reason for their high prices. Hmm. Gary Andrews, Mt Maunganui.
Could this Government, wherever they may be, please keep our borders closed? The impression gained by visitors coming off cruise ships and seeing Queen St in its present condition would be a huge blow to our reputation. Chris Parker, Campbells Bay.
Is an England Cricket Team with a New Zealand coach and New Zealand captain really England or actually New Zealand North? Gary Carter, Gulf Harbour.
Manukau port fans should stand on South Head (Awhitu) at the lighthouse in a south-westerly wind and watch the flow of water into and out of this harbour. It is awe-inspiring but fearsome. Maureen Janett, Meadowbank.
Manukau Harbour will be a great port when a suitable ship access canal is provided from the shelter of the Waitematā Harbour. R. Stiles, Katikati.
The Treasurer in his wisdom has budgeted for a feasibility study of a port in the Manukau Harbour. I'll take that contract and the answer is, "it isn't". Rod Lyons, Kumeu.
Johan Slabbert (WH, May 28) hit the nail right on the head with his letter "Drivers of youth crime".Well done to both Johan and to the newspaper for determining it to be letter of the week. Janet Boyle, Ōrewa.
Silver is not a valuable commodity - and Silver Lake may not turn to gold for the All Blacks, and their Kiwi fans. Fenton Cooper, East Coast Bays.
Our Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system has never produced proportional representation and does not meet all the democratic criteria. Kenneth Lees, Whangārei.
While many locals are still complaining about the historical colonisation of New Zealand, the colonisation of the Pacific by China escapes their concern. Peter Webster, Beachlands.
Over the years, I'm getting pretty good at reading Ms Ardern's language, which is to pay attention what she is not saying. Tiong Ang, Mt Roskill.
As a cryptic crossword aficionado, I could solve America's dilemma at the stroke of a pen. Simply change the right to bear arms to the right to bare arms. Ray Gilbert, Papamoa Beach.
Jacinda's visit to the US was obviously a great success... commiserations Mike. Lois McGough, Ōrewa.
When one visits the White House, why does no one offer to take your coat? Doug Hannan, Mt Maunganui.